Erste Group provides €85.5 million refinancing for mall in Romania

Business Forum

19 August, 2025 at 8:30 AM

Erste Group Bank AG has provided a €85.5 million refinancing facility for Argeş Mall in Piteşti, developed by Prime Kapital.

Developed by Prime Kapital and inaugurated in April 2024, Argeş Mall is now the largest shopping centre in Argeş County. The scheme includes over 150 stores, a 3,500 sqm food court and a panoramic terrace overlooking Lake Prundu, positioning it as both a retail and lifestyle destination.

Roman Kubanyi, Industry Lead – International Commercial Real Estate Finance at Erste Group. underlined in a LinkedIn post that the project reflects wider trends in the Romanian retail real estate market, where regional hubs are becoming increasingly important.

Schwarz Group gets conditional approval for La Cocoș takeover

Romania's Competition Council has conditionally approved the acquisition of Supermarket La Cocoș by the Schwarz Group through Project Brazil Beta company, following an investigation by the authority.

Real estate

Romania's retail stock second largest in CEE despite low density

Retail developers continue to accelerate expansion plans across Romania, with projects totalling more than 750,000 sqm currently in construction and planning stages for delivery until 2029, according to a report by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

Real estate

Prime Kapital secures €150 million refinancing for Mall Moldova

Property developer Prime Kapital has secured a €150 million syndicated loan arranged by UniCredit Bank Romania and Alpha Bank Greece to refinance Mall Moldova.

Real estate

Romania's retail market hits 5 million sqm milestone

Romania's modern retail market exceeded 5 million sqm in 2025, following deliveries of approximately 190,000 sqm of new retail space, around 20% above the five-year average, according to Colliers' annual report.

Real estate

Romania's mall entertainment market triples to €30 million

The active entertainment component within shopping malls in Romania was valued at €28-30 million in 2024, excluding competitive socialising venues such as bowling and billiards, which are also growing rapidly. This represents almost three times the market size compared to 2019, finds a study by Nhood Romnaia.

Real estate

The future of retail is about belonging, not just buying

Once considered a purely transactional asset class, retail in CEE is rapidly evolving into a platform for experience, community, and brand identity. This shift was at the centre of the discussion at SEE Property Forum 2025, where industry leaders explored how shopping centres are adapting to changing consumer expectations, ESG requirements, and the growing demand for meaningful, multi-use spaces. 